


Unconditional

by viceversa



Category: The Fall (TV 2013), The X-Files
Genre: Angst, Coming Out, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, WLW and a Dog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 09:52:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18797974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viceversa/pseuds/viceversa
Summary: Dana finds the courage to tell her mother about Stella.





	Unconditional

_ “Dana, I’m so glad you called! It’s been so long since we’ve talked. I have so much to tell you about California, but first, you. How’s London treating you? Is the clinic still a good job? How’s… Jo, right?” _

Dana smiled into the phone, her mom asking the same questions as she had when they’d talked over the past year, since she’d moved across the ocean. 

“It’s great, Mom. The clinic is perfect, and everyone is still great to work with. And Jo is fitting in well at home - she’s adorable.”

Josephine hopped up beside Dana, enjoying the comfortable couch that Stella had. They’d found her in a park a month ago, being sold with other pomeranian puppies, and Dana’s heart melted. She’d had to convince Stella, who’d never owned a pet before, but as soon as she held the pup in her hands and it licked her cheek she’d been trapped too. Stella had been the one to name her. 

And Maggie didn’t know half that story, and it was killing Dana to keep it a secret. 

_ “I’m glad dear. I don’t know why you had to move so far away, but at least you’re happy. _ ”

Dana leaned back into the corner of the couch and pulled one of the abundant blankets in Stella’s apartment around her knees. Josephine curled up next to her and sighed, wanting to take her afternoon nap. 

She was happy. Her eyes stung suddenly, and she bit back emotion, realizing the truth of that statement, and of what she was about to say. She just didn’t know how to start.

“I am happy, mom.”

_ “Oh?” _ Maggie asked in a knowing tone. 

“Yes.”

_ “Are you seeing someone? Because Dana, honey, I really think it’s been long enough…” _

Dana grasped the blanket in her free hand, strangling the comfort from it, her knuckles turning white. A waft of Stella’s perfume hit her nose and she tried to relax. Jo perked up her head, wondering why her mom was so tense. 

It was past time to tell her. Stella and her were serious, and it had been eating away at her not telling her mother. She was the last family she really had and talked to. Dana had built up her resolve all week, and had chosen now to break the news, hating that it was news that needed breaking. 

Stella was at work, and she had the apartment to herself. Her and Josephine. Part of her wanted Stella holding her hand the whole time, but she had wanted to do this alone. A defense mechanism she wasn’t sure was working how she’d planned.

“I am seeing someone, actually.”

Dana’s eyes closed involuntarily. She could feel the energy that surged within her mom at the admission and steeled herself. 

_ “Dana! That’s wonderful? What’s his name? Is it that handsome doctor at the clinic you told me about, um, Robert something? Is it serious?” _

“No, mom, it’s not Robert. He’s married, anyway, and practically half my age.”

_ “Well that doesn’t mean anything. These days, Dana, anyone can date anyone—“ _

“I hope you mean that,” Dana muttered. 

_ “What, dear? I didn’t catch that.”  _ Maggie sighed, still overly excited about the news. Dana was sure she was thinking of wedding bells and international weddings. 

“ _ I do hope it’s a doctor, of course. I always thought that you would be so happy with another doctor.” _

Dana realized suddenly that she was shaking, just slightly. She felt fear, the primal fear of telling your mother something she might not approve of, like a first tattoo or a drunken accident. She felt like a child, even halfway across the world. 

Jo moved in close, her nose wiggling under Dana’s arm, trying to be closer to the action in order to help. Dana released the blanket and pet Jo, letting her in her lap. Emotional support from a dog, a little unconditional love - it was just what she needed to distract her just enough to tell her mom about Stella. Hopefully.

“I’m dating a detective, actually. It’s been several months and yes, it’s serious.” She was stalling, and the shake had moved to her voice, but she kept talking because if she stopped now, she’d never get it out. Stella doesn’t deserve that. She deserves to be a part of her life in every way, even with her mom. 

“Her name is Stella Gibson.”

Silence, on both sides of the call. Then Maggie spoke, quietly but with conviction.

_ “A woman? Dana, you can’t be…” _

Maggie paused and Dana clutched the phone closer to her skull, pressing it to her ear, eyes still closed, wanting this conversation to be long over. She was 45 years old, and she just told her mother she was dating a woman.

Dana’s legs had drawn up close to her, the blanket trapped between her limbs, a stifling barrier between tense, shaking muscles, Jo falling to the side, her little legs jumping at Dana’s side.

_ “I know the last few years have been hard on you, Dana, but… Dear, have you been to church lately? Is it… maybe Father McGreggor knows someone in London who could give you some guidance—“ _

“Mom, I don’t need—“ 

Maggie continued, hurried and louder, at least to Dana. 

_ “I just knew that moving across the world was a... a cry for help. Dana, really, you should come home. I don’t think that this—whatever this is— I just don’t think it’s…” _

Dana felt the tears only as they collected on her chin, falling thick and wet down her cheeks. Jo whined and jumped off the couch to circle it, stressed at Dana’s inattention and emotion. It was a culmination of grief and pain and worry in Dana -- a build up of anxiety to this very moment, a release of hurt when her mom reacted exactly like she’d thought she would.

Dana’s shaking suddenly paused and she sat up straight. What was she doing, acting like this? She was a grown woman in love, and she shouldn’t feel fear or shame over that. 

_ “And you said it was serious? Dana, I just can’t believe you would--! Obviously something is wrong, this whole situation — Dana I’m sorry but the Bible, the Church!—“ _

“Mom  _ stop _ !” Dana took a sharp breath and filled the silence with a speech she’d been unconsciously rehearsing since she first realized that yeah, she liked women, too. 

“I don’t believe that. I don’t believe that God judges love as wrong, I don’t believe that love is wrong at all. This is the best thing…  _ Mom I love her _ .”

The front door creaked and Dana’s eyes snapped open, watching as Stella walked in at the worst possible moment, at the best moment, and needing her. Dana continued through the tears as she watched Jo run to Stella and circle her legs in excitement.

“Stella was there when we found Jo. She named her, she’s our dog. Stella and I - mom we just work. She’s perfect.”

Stella met Dana’s red and watery eyes and suddenly knew what this phone call was, what it meant. She quickly picked up Jo and brought her to the couch, curling them both around Dana as she kept talking.

“I love her  _ so much _ , Mom.” Dana smiled at Stella through her tears. “And she makes me  _ so happy _ . I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and I can’t imagine a God that would punish that, that would disapprove. A Church, maybe. But not God.” 

Dana sniffed and wiped under her nose with the back of her hand, shifting closer to Stella, allowing Jo to nestle between them. 

“I don’t want to fight with you, mom.” Dana closed her eyes again as Stella leaned in to kiss her solidly on the forehead. “I love you. So, I don’t know. Talk with whoever you need to, pray, do what you need to do to meet me on this. Because it’s who I am and who I love, and it’s not negotiable. Bye.”

Dana could barely see to hang up but she managed to twist around and take Stella into her arms, feeling the warm weight of her and their dog on her. She didn’t cry any more, but she held on tight to Stella.

“I’m sorry, love,” Stella murmured into Dana’s hair. “I’m sorry.”

“’S not your fault. This was always a possibility. I hope she...” Dana trailed off, taking another steadying breath.

Stella took a moment to just hold Dana. “She’ll come around, one way or another. I believe that. She loves you too much, Dana.”

Dana sniffed again and tangled a hand in Jo’s fur, gathering herself for a minute. She had no idea how hard that conversation would hit her, and she was beyond glad that Stella had come when she did.

“I love you,” she stated. “That’s never going to change. I need you to know that, Stel. No matter what my mother may think about it.”   
“I know, I know. I love you. That doesn’t make this better, though. I’m here too. I’m not going anywhere.”

Stella stayed there, on her couch with Dana in her arms, and thought about the future. She wanted so much for them, for their life, together. She wanted her couch to be their couch, her bed to be shared every night. 

She wanted Dana’s mother to be a part of their life too, just like she wished that her own… well. Never mind that.    


Stella had all she needed in her arms right now, a beautiful, intelligent, talented woman and a little dog that had stolen her heart, and she hoped that Dana felt the same. Stella had found her family, and she wasn’t letting anything or anyone in the way of love.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to @trainwreckweather for the input!!


End file.
